Cultivating joy 3

Some of the useful Buddhist tools that assist with cultivating JOY are:

* remember that the problems of life are temporary.
* if you can control and cease your thought, your inner wisdom can solve many matters, without creating more.
* JOY is positive; concern is negative - in that it leads to the main 'problems' known within Buddhism, of hatred, anger, and ignorance.
* JOY holds the reality of the situation, before your thinking-mind can lead you astray.
* JOY may replace restful sleep, but that is much better than being awake and unrested.
* remember that these difficulties are present in the form of karmic lessons to be learned, and not attacks from life, nature, enemies, or society. Find JOY in the fact that you have the opportunity to learn from these situations and make progress.
* small worries and major troubles will be present whatever attitude is held. Letting them stir up negatives decreases progress, whereas letting them pass by and accepting their lessons gives positive progress.
* learn to blame your history as the karmic cause and learn the lessons your own past has created for you now, rather than blaming he physical 'now' surfacing point of these matters.

I can be joyful that I have learned enough to try to use these opportunities rather than letting them become out of hand routes to despair.

I can be joyful that troubles come to teach me something, rather than as a war I have to fight.

I can be joyful that I will survive whatever problems arise, whether I am successful in dealing with them or not, but that if I am successful in handling them, they will be smaller and there will be less lying ahead of me.

I should remain, retain, and regain JOY - as I can then see the problems clearly and not make mistakes or let them get out of hand due to mental dysfunctions.

"I try to view worries and concerns as a heavy mist that tries to dampen my day.
They have no true purpose in life, so I simply blow them away."